LANSING, Mich. — For the first time ever, NASA says there is water on the moon.
It can be found just below the surface on the side of the moon that’s exposed to the sun. However, there’s not much there.
“We had indications that H2O – the familiar water we know – might be present on the sunlit side of the Moon,” said Paul Hertz, director of the Astrophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Now we know it is there. This discovery challenges our understanding of the lunar surface and raises intriguing questions about resources relevant for deep space exploration.”
NASA says it’s a fraction of what would be in the Sahara Desert. In another study the space agency believes lunar ice patches on the dark side of the moon could contain more water than previously thought.
Lunar water would be a valuable resource for any future moon missions.
“Water is a valuable resource, for both scientific purposes and for use by our explorers,” said Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist for NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. “If we can use the resources at the Moon, then we can carry less water and more equipment to help enable new scientific discoveries.”
The next NASA mission is set for 2024.
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